Label applying means



Feb. 10, 1959 MANAS 2,873,040

LABEL APPLYING MEANS 3 Filed April 5, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q mun l mi in INVENTOR Herman D, Menu l r BY 1%? Y ATTORN Y5 m, 10, 1959 H. D. MANAS 2,873,040

LABEL APPLYING MEANS Filed April 5, 1957 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 '0 INVENTOR Herman. D. Man

BY //?0/ W57 ATTORNEYS Feb. 10, 1959 H. D. MANAS LABEL APPLYING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 5, 1957 INVENTOR Herman D, Manna BY 3 {ATTORNEYS Feb. 10, 1959 D,MANAS 2,873,040

LABEL APPLYING MEANS Filed April 5, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Herman D. Manual ATTORNEY5 tta egu y t't e ,sta dn- Th af rby st i 9 l h l c teat me-in an 's -n i-a i vla a t e lah iirl h s t a tionin aposition ohth e container corresponding to il? l r U Figure 1 is an el evational View of a machine embody- United States Patent '0 2,873,040 was A L LY E N Herman I). Manas, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to M. R.- M. Machinery Co., Inc., Brooklyn, N. -Y., a corporation of Neyv York Applic a tio n April 5, 1 957, Ser ial No. 650,968 4 Claims. (Cl. 2165-55) applying roller and then to a label applying station Whrefit M law s s i i t a n a n a r vin Si u a, U t h ps t on H Pr ncipal'f uresjand ue rs hf this' inip inlaid 9 h coia ns t i h sl q a thei yea seal aili tmssh nia i Ps wh ch ap t agent e of glue to'e'ach succeeding nearer new new? s iaiaia a h w he present in' alllareas' of thelabel and container and this i ii essi rle e when 9 hssati an F? t estate Other objects and features of the invention are the provision of auxiliarymechanism of 'the typenesenbea that ni ay be adjnsted for nsewith labels of difir'erihg dimensions, thatis' easy installhnd" operatehndtvhich also genres:

ffl'flhtther objects and features of this invention are the Per i 9 si lafil l si b t eh i a o e nee @g PWF v a W w her objects and features of the invention W111 become t from the following descript g drawings whereini ing the labeling'means of this invention; Figure Ziis aplan view taken along the plane of line 'fi a s and i w d t swan f as amachine of Figure 2; and

' Eighre"25 i's anele'vational view of the mechanism vshownlin Figurea.

2,873,040 Re ained Rab? .9 =1

various mechanisms of the machine in assemblyare arranged with reference to a table 10. Thesej neich rsr'ns include generally, conveyor means for containers, means for spacing the containers on the conveyor means, inc-ans for clamping the containers on the conveyor in condition, 'a label magazine, means for Withdrawing "the labels individually from the label magazine, for transferring labels from the withdrawing inieans for applic'ation to the containers, means for applying adhesi e to the labels during transfer, means rma pn ng adhesive to a selected area of the container in advance of adhesion thereto of the adhesive bearing'label, and'niean's {oncompletely pressing the adhesive bearing label to the 'c'ontainer. All these means are appropriately positiqfied relative to each other above the surface ofthe ab e-10 and driven portions thereof are operated by appropriate driving means not shown) preferably located beldv'vthe table is enclosed by a protective'apron or casing 11." A conveyor comprising an e'ndlessbh'ain 12 is supported horizontally: above the able top as by sprockets 13 at opposite ends of the table. The individual'linlis'15 of the chain 12 have flat outerplates 16 secured 'therto so that as thechain 12 is moved by the sprockets, the upper horizontal flight of the chain '12 cfonsists'of'a' substantially horizontal surface defined the" plates 16. The shaft 17 of the sprocket 13 is driven preferably a continuous manner by'any conventional drivingmec'hanisrn (not shown) so'that' the upper flight er'the'cqnvybr chain 12 moves continuously from" left to right' in the direction of the arrow A as indicated in Fi'gure '2.

A rear guide rail 18 is positionedabov ethe upper flight of conveyor chain 12 and extends para-llelly therewith.

This guide rail 18 is "adjustable transversely of the direction of motion of conveyor chain l2 to" accommodate containers C of different dimensions to which it maybe desired to apply labels. The containersC to bell'abel'ed are placed either manually or mechanically in any desired panama aecqm- Rferrihg to the vdrawing and firsttoxFigure 1, the a v l t M 31 and 32'opera-bl'e in common by the hand wheel 3 and s 'a la' dsh n ou l n 3 Theoute'r surface'35 of band 26 is of cns h ionlike rubber or the like so that it.w,i1l press resiliently against the upper end offthe containers' C'as'they pass under the lower flight of said 'bandjust after leaving theY spacQer mechanism 20. The pressure ofthe loyverfflight of hand 26 on the containers provides a resilient clamping adieu niaintainshtlie containers in a clamped cqnditie pn Eonveyor plates 16 until the containers"Crnoveput'frqm under the tower n ght of said aii'az s." "Adjustment'jbf the height of this flight may be effected by rotating hand wheel 33 in proper di'recti'on't'o loweror ievates ppen bar '30 :The band 26 is" freely rotatable'arouiid its "pulleys 27, 28 and 29 and moves at thesameispee'd as conveyor chain 12 when containers C are clamped between the two.

While the containers C are maintained in clamped condition, each just after it leaves the spacer means 20 has a stripe S of adhesive applied to its wall surface. In the embodiment shown each stripe S extends vertically and is of a selected width and length. These stripes S are applied to the same relative surface position of each of the containers C by an adhesive stripe applying mechanism 36 in their clamped traverse with the conveyor 12.

The adhesive stripe applying mechanism 36 is shown in detail in Figures 4 and 5. This mechanism in the embodiment shown comprises a pair of spaced apart plates 37, 38 secured to a driven vertically supported shaft 39. This shaft extends downwardly at 40 through table and drive means (not shown) for rotating the shaft are supported below the table 10. Parallel cross bars 41 located at equi-spaced positions span the distance between plates 37 and 38 and are swivelly supported, for example, in bearing sockets 41a provided on said plates. A plate cam 42 is adjustably secured as by pin and slot connection 43, 44 to a fixed plate 45 carried by brackets 46 above the upper end of shaft 39. Cam followers 47 secured to cranks 48 which respectively are fixed to the cross bars 41 are biased by springs 49 into contact with the plate cam 42 so that rotation of shaft 39 will oscillate the cross bars 41 as directed by said cam 42. An applicator carrying arm 50 is secured to each cross bar so as to oscillate with it. An applicator member 51 is removably secured to the slotted outer end of each arm 50. These removable applicator members 51 essentially have the shape of the adhesive stripe S which is to be applied to the container. In the embodiment shown, each is a long thin resilient strip 51 of rubber or the like protruding from slot 52 in the arm 50 to whose outer surface adhesive is applied as will be described and which deposits this adhesive on the container as a thin stripe S when pressed against it. The cam 42 is so disposed'that when the cam followers ride on its high portions the outer surfaces of applicators 51 lie within the cylindrical envelope defined by the discs 37 and 38. The followers 47 are adapted to ride on the low portions of cam 42 during the major portion of rotation of shaft 39. Just in advance of the arrival of each applicator strip 51 at an engaging position with the surface of a clamped container C as illustrated in Figure 4 its particular follower 47 rides onto a high point 42a of the cam and just as the applicator 51 reaches desired application position relative to aparticular container C its follower 47 rides off this high point 42a and the applicator 51 is snapped by its spring 49 so that the adhesive borne by the said applicator 51 is applied by pressure as a stripe S to the container. Immediately thereafter, the particular applicator 51 moves away from the container to which it has applied the adhesive stripe S.

Adhesive is conveniently applied to the applicator 51 successively by vertically supporting an adhesive disto a label applying station at which labels are adhered successively to these containers.

Labels L intended for application to the containers at this station may be transferred individually thereto from a label magazine M (Figure 2) of conventional type. The individual labels L are withdrawn from the magazine M as by a reciprocating suction head 60 which moves each individual label to a position as seen in Figure 4 for seizure by rotary label pick-off and transfer mech anism 61.

The rotary label pick-off transfer mechanism may be similar to that of my issued U. S. Patent 2,725,156 dated November 29, 1955 or of my co-pending application Serial No. 501,277 filed April 14, 1955, now Patent 2,830,724, issued April 15, 1958, either modified as required for the particular purposes herein involved. As disclosed herein the pick-off and transfer mechanism 61 includes a pair of spaced apart discs 62 and 63 secured to a rotatable vertically supported shaft 64 extending upwardly from table 10 and driven by means (not shown) below table 10.

The outer peripheries of the discs 62 and 63 are pro vided with equi-spaced aligned recesses or notches 65. These notches 65 have radially directed portions 66. Transverse jaw members 67 span the space between the discs 62 and 63 and are secured to the radially directed portions 66 of the notches. These jaw members 67 and discs 62 and 63 provide a rotary turret frame 68 which is rotated by shaft 64 when the latter is driven.

Gripping means including movable jaws 69 are provided. These jaws 69 are each supported by one end of a rock lever or crank 70 each of which is pivoted intermediate its ends on a transverse shaft 71 extending between discs 62 and 63. Cam followers 72 on the crank 70 ride on a stationary cam 73 positioned about shaft 64, said cam being secured against rotation in any contween cam followers 72 and said cam 73 so that during rotation of turret frame 68, the jaws 69 are oscillated or swivelled into and out of closing relationship with the fixed jaws formed by cross bars 67. The position of cam and in consequence the movable jaw 69 snaps closed against its associated stationary jaw 67 clamping the upper edge of the label between the jaws 67 and 69 with suificient force to draw the label L from the suction tributing driven roller 53 which is rotated about a vertical axis. The'applicators 51 sweep past and in contact with the roller 53 during rotation of both and on making such contact pick up a requisite film of adhesive on their outer surfaces for application as stripes to successive containers C.

This adhesive is distributed to the surface of roller 53 as by a nozzle 54 positioned near the upper end of the roller to which the adhesive is conveniently pumped by means (not shown) from a reservoir (not shown). A sump 55 below the roller serves to collect excessive adhesive dripping from the surface of roller 53. A doctor blade 56 biased by a spring 57 whose pressure is adjustable as by bolt 58 regulates the thickness of the adhesive .clampedcondition are moved along by the conveyor 12 head and carry it along with further rotation of turret frame 68.

A presser foot 75 is provided for operation in' conjunction with each pair of jaws 67 and 69. These presser feet 75 respectively are supported on transverse rotatable shafts 76 extending between discs 62 and 63. Bell cranks 77 are secured to each shaft 76 and are provided with cam followers 78 riding on a stationary cam 79 against which they are pressed by a biasing spring 80. The

. cam 79 is so shaped that each presser foot 75 normally lies retracted within the cylindrical envelope defined by the peripheries ofdiscs 62 and 63 when the cam followers ride on low portions of cam 79 and is swivelled radially outwardly as its cam follower 78 rides onto higher portions of the said cam. The presser feet have circular outer arcuate surfaces whose center are the same as those of discs 62 and 63. The arcuate surfaces may be covered with a resilient pad 81 of rubber or the like.

The high portions of cam 79 are so disposed that as the turret frame 68 carrying a gripped label L rotates from the pick-off position toward the adhesive applying roller 53 the particular presser foot 75 is swivelled outwardly to form a back up for the gripped label so that as it is sweep past the adhesive applying roller'53, the

th r l sxe t in the armw..eda st i h th .12 .cau s t "ru ber cushion p pa 8.

.qu er sur ac s the lab l,

press r tha 5 t n a P of the adhes ye rantin an initi l Wide bando ad ssiqhtrailing en h be durin th sr ate io is smoothed and guided by the fixed smoother '82 located 20 i en s -lab p yin -s atio As the label bearing containers C are moved by conveyor 12 beyond the ,labelapplyingstation, they carry the partially adhered label L therewith as, seen, i n liigure 3 to a "label application completing meehanisnrfiii.

mechanism'in the embodiment, shown,;comprises a pair of spaced apart endless'belts and 86 re speetiyely trained about the pairs of pulleys 87, 88 and-'89,"90.

These belts have outer resilient surfaces 91 and 92 of sponge rubber or the like and the facing flights are backed by appropriate guide plates 93 and 94. Both belts may be driven in synchronism by appropriate means (not shown) and the belt 86 in addition may be locked against movement if desired.

If containers C as shown have round cross sections only belt 91 is driven at a higher linear speed than that of conveyor 12. In consequence as each label bearing container C moves between the facing flights or belts 85 and 86 their resilient surfaces 91 and 92 yield and moving belt 85 rolls the containers in counterclockwise direction as shown in Figure 3 causing the unadhered portions of label L to be wrapped around the container and pressed into smooth adherence therewith. If con tainers C are rectangular both belts 85 and 86 are driven.

It is understood, of course, that the containers C become unclamped in advance of their arrival between belts 85 and 86 by moving out from under the lower flight of clamping belt 26 as seen in Figure 1.

Operation Operation of the labeling machine equipped with this invention in general is as follows:

Labels L are removed one by one from the label magazine as by the suction head 60 and their upper edges brought into position for engagement between a pair of jaws 69, 67 of the turret 68. The jaw 69 closes on jaw 67 gripping the upper edge of label L therebetween and carrying it around with rotation of turret 68 sweeping it past the adhesive applying roller 53. At the time of such sweep, the presser foot 75 is oscillated outwardly to provide a back rest for the label as it engages roller 53 thus insuring uniform spread of adhesive onto all surface portions of the label except the narrow strip gripped between jaws 69 and 67. v

In the meantime, containers C fed to the conveyor 12 at the left end of the machine are spaced thereon by the spacing means and clamped in spaced condition on the conveyor 12 by the belt 26. The clamped spaced containers C are moved forwardly toward the right by conveyor 12 and as each moves past the adhesive stripe applying station one of the stripe applicator members 51 on the stripe applying mechanism 36 previously gummed by rotary contact with glue applying roller 53 meets the container C and applies a narrow stripe S of adhesive to it.

The stripe bearing container C still clamped to the conveyor by the belt 26 moves forwardly with it to the eati l be a n the .has mme u er-re ,o t e .eqma h t s' :lahs a al hzs ste ish .aas Ia sghta hs i fishe to ent re at aid s ation atth shht time i f a .31? hearing la e ;,i ,.lzrotisl' her tgh h t ansfe tur t t ames Mat a th iaw wishes the p e st f t labe wh ch snap int PP Q .f s s s me t with .tbenarrow glue stripe Son the container C; Furtheir moyeme nt of conveyor 12 which is at thesame speed as .the surface speed of turret68 presses a partial portion of the label onto the container C, .by reason ofth 'e backup and cushioning action of the pad 81' on presser ,foot 75. A t le v n th s ahe ePP y gs s 9h the pqntaip r 01. arr ing a p t al -adhe e a e breathe hhs am as it rid ou ham hinde hs 16 but a hq t mm di t thereafter enters the space between the flights of belts .8 an 8.6 whi e o ta e i hht h w rotate th .contain 1. ab t e ti a axi an in S rota ion ap t unadhe e ror i o the lah smoa 1: t adher n en a em n t wi ht sf e t the rea be th held statih a I th ,Qa taiaers a other than -circular insegtion, both belts. 85 and ;86 are d ive an th i qhn p es th unadhere ,aq t ph of the label onto ,the sontainer .Wit hout rotating the latter.

The ab e cqh aihers w th label =Q I P FQ Y adher thereto arrive at the deliyery ,endpf the inachine-in this ,instanceet the extreme right whence ,they are removed fo ,P shasi sp -,Qth i$1 ,$l15 l t11 The machine is readily adaptable for use with labels of varying heights. It is necessary to use a stripe applicator 51 whose length is the same as the height of the label to be applied and to position it at proper elevation in slot 52 at the end of arm 50, and to change this applicator each time to one of appropriate length when a differently sized label is used. This is readily done since the applicators 51 are removably and slidably mounted in the slots 52 of their arms 50 as by friction or the like.

Also, containers of different diameters or dimensions may be utilized and in such event the guide rail 18 is adjusted to the width of the container while the elevation of the clamping belt 26 is adjusted by turning wheel 33 as required.

It is, of course, necessary to provide appropriate speed synchronism between the moving elements of the machine by regulation of the couplings or gearing connecting the driving motor with the driven parts. The selection and arrangement of synchronizing mechanism is well within the compass of the persons skilled in the art to which this invention relates.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described and shown, variations within the scope of the claims are possible and are contemplated. There is no intention therefore of limitation to the exact disclosure herein made.

What is claimed is:

1. In a labeling machine, means for completely adhering a label to a container including an adhesive distributing member, a rotary member, an adhesive stripe applying member carried by the rotary member to swivel relative thereto, means for swiveling said adhesive stripe applying member relative to said rotary member, said stripe applying member being movable by movement of said rotary member into contact with said distributing member to receive adhesive therefrom and then being movable with said rotary member and by said swiveling means into contact with said container to apply an adhesive stripe thereto, and means for positioning an adhesive bearing label having a non-adhesive area so that the latter and said stripe are aligned and adhered and means for effecting complete adhesion of the label and container.

2. In a labeling machine, means for completely adhering a label to a container including an adhesive distributing member, a rotary member, an arm swivelly mounted on said rotary member, a stripe applying member secured to said arm, cam means for swiveling said arm member on said rotary member during its rotation to effect transfer of adhesive contact between said stripe applying-memberand said distributing member and also to effect adhesive stripe transferring contact between said stripe applying member and said container in a selected area of the latter, and means for thereafter applying a label to which adhesive has been applied in all but a limited area to the container so that the adhesive stripe and said limited area are aligned and adhered together.

3. In a labeling machine, means for completely adhering a label to a container including an adhesive distributing roller, a pair of axially aligned spaced apart rotary discs, an arm swivelly mounted between said discs, a

stripe applying member secured to said arm, a cam, cam follower means secured to said arm and movable over said cam for swiveling said arm radially relative to said discs during their rotation first to efl'ect transfer of adhesive contact between said stripe applying member andsaid roller and thereafter effect adhesive stripe transferring contact between said stripe applying member and said container in a selected area of the latter, means for thereafter applying a label to which adhesive has been applied in all but a limited area by contact with said roller to the container so that the adhesive stripe and said limited area are aligned and adhered together and means for then completely pressing all unadhered portions of the label into adhesive contact with said container.

4. In a labeling machine having means for moving spaced containers along a selected path of travel, an ad hesive distributing roller, adhesive stripe applying mechanism for applying a stripe of adhesive to a selected area of each'succeeding clamped container, said last-named means. comprising a'pair of spaced apart plates, a driven rotary shaft on which said plates are carried, means for swivelly' supporting a plurality of arms from the plates, an applicator member removably secured to each arm and including a narrow strip of resilient material, cam means to swivel the applicator members during rotation of said plates to move said resilient strips successively during rotation of said plates into adhesive receiving contact with said roller and thereafter into adhesive applying contact with'successive containers to apply a stripe of adhesive to a selected area of each container, means for thereafter applying labels bearing adhesive except in an area corresponding to the stripe bearing area of the containers to the latter with the two areas aligned, and means for pressing the label to the container to efiect complete adhesion of all areas of the label thereto.

ReferencesjCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

